Nandajātaka
“Methinks the gold.”—This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana, about a co-resident pupil of Sariputta.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1.1PTS 1.226“Maññe sovaṇṇayo rāsi,I suspect the heap of gold11.2soṇṇamālā ca nandako;and golden chains1.3Yattha dāso āmajāto,is where the house-born slave Nandaka21.4ṭhito thullāni gajjatī”ti.stands yelling curses.3
2.1Nandajātakaṁ navamaṁ.
Before his death, the father entrusted only his servant Nanda with the location of his buried wealth, fearing that his young wife would waste the money on a new man rather than give it to his true heir, her son. But when the servant arrived at the location with the heir, out of conceit he started cursing rather than reveal the treasure. The verse records the advice given to the son by his father’s old friend.
Āma is from Vedic amā (“house”), but is explained by the commentary as “with consent”.
The commentary hints at the real motivation for Nanda’s odd behavior. Having been with the father since birth, he is called tāta (“my dear”) and mātula (“uncle”), as if he were the master’s brother. He reveals what he really thinks of his master’s young wife and her son in his curse, “You bastard son of a slave girl” (are dāsiputta ceṭaka; Agnipurāṇa 366.46 lists ceṭaka with dāsera, “slaveson”). There is no question of punishment for his insolence, but the tone shifts, as he is called “slave” (dāsa) and bluntly ordered to carry the treasure home.
